On Nov 8th the James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art in St. Petersburg debuted the Edward S. Curtis exhibit, which will be on display until March 29th, 2026. Edward S. Curtis was an American photographer and ethnologist and is best known for his photographic record of Native American cultures.

The exhibition, curated by Caitlin Pendola and co-curated by the Manager of Adult Learning Ernest Gendron, offers a rare look into Curtis’s work, tracing his three-decade photographic career.

On Wednesday evening Caitlin and Ernest did a lecture at the James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art in giving a deeper glimpse into the process involved in installing the Edward S. Curtis exhibit. You can tell this was no ordinary installation, but one done with passion and love for the work.

It was mentioned that Edward E. Curtis had no rhyme or reason in identifying the subjects of his photography. There may be names, just a title, or nothing at all. Caitlin and Ernest did a deep dive in trying to humanize the photographs, so it is much more than just Native Americans. The success has turned photographs into individuals that you can read about, relate too, or get invested into their story.

This now makes an ordinary exhibit into informational and educational, while keeping the value of the photographs by Curtis in itself. This definitely created an added element into the display that would make an added reason to learn more upon your stay. This also presents the opportunity to invest yourselves into the lives of Edward S. Curtis, the pictured Native Americans on Displays, and the investigative determination of curators Caitlin and Ernest to bring a total bigger picture to the entire exhibit.

I did not have the opportunity to see the actual display itself, but after the lecture I am determined to experience the Edward S. Curtis exhibit and open my mind to a world I have never experienced and learn from it.

This can be done personally at the James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art in St. Petersburg and the exhibit is on display until March 29th.

David “Thrills” is an avid enthusiast of thrill parks and entertainment activities in the Tampa Bay Area. Be sure to follow me on instagram or twitter for live updates or email me at tampathrillme@gmail.com for any questions or concerns. The Edward S. Curtis lecture invitation was courtesy of the James Museum, but all opinions of the exhibit are of mine own. Pictures were taken with permission from the James Museum.